BRAINCAKELipid Digestion
Since lipids are hydrophobic molecules, they need to be mechanically broken down into made into smaller particles and mixed with enzymes so that the triglycerides can be broken down into fatty acids and smaller monoglyceride units with the help of lipase enzymes.
Lipid digestion starts in the duodenum in the small intestine.
Lipids are first split up into tiny droplets called micelles by emulsification by bile salts produced by the liver and stored in and released from the gall bladder into the duodenum.
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Key terms in this lesson
- hydrolysis
- The breaking of a covalent bond within a molecule using a water molecule.
- triglyceride
- A lipid made of one glycerol molecule joined to three fatty acids by ester bonds.
More in Digestion
- Digestion
- The Digestive System
- Carbohydrate Digestion
- Protein Digestion
- Structure of the Ileum
- Absorption of Amino Acids
- Absorption of Monosaccharides
- Absorption of Triglycerides
All 10 lessons in Digestion · All AQA AS-level Biology topics